Apple Cake Saves the Day

In order to lift off some of the doom and gloom around here, I've posted Debby's Apple Cake over on my recipe site HERE.

I made it on Saturday as I have 1/2 a lug of Red Delicious apples getting wrinkly and unappitzing.  We just don't like that variety for eating fresh.  But chopped up in this cake they are amazing.  Just enough apple-goodness to mix with the cinnamon and walnuts.  And this cake is sooo moist. 

Make it soon.  And don't bother with the frosting.  Just pour yourself a cuppa coffee and enjoy the spicy goodness as you sit in the sunshine and plan your upcoming garden.  Spring will be here soon.

Hugs
K~

PS  if you would, please send up prayers for Ds1, Ddil and Dgd3.  Instead of the home-birth they were looking forward to, it appears they will be having a C-section sometime this week.  Some little Missie is being stubborn.  Thank you so much.

Thus starts the dark months

Did you wonder what happened?  I was so wordy and then "NOTHING!"   My Farmer and my Bffs all decided to share their versions of the flu.  Bffs dear-grandson had it, my Farmer had it and Bff's dh got it Sunday night (after spending all day with us.... oh the germs!)  It was only a matter of time until we ladies got it.  I spent Wednesday home curled on the couch.  But now I'm well and feeling fine again.

Have you noticed the darkness!  Yes,  I know.  Daylight Savings Time has ended.  I'm liking the sunrise right after Farmer-dear leaves for the plant, but not liking at all, the darkness at 5-5:30 p.m.  Yesterday afternoon, after work, I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things and with the clouds, it was gloomy.  It seemed like all the folks in the store were hurrying to get their lists completed and head for home.  I felt that same urgency as I walked quickly to my car.  It felt like early evening.  I was almost surprised to see that it was not even 5 p.m.   Today was even gloomier and blustery with wind and rain all day.  And with the bad weather, came frayed tempers and impatience along the roadways.  So many people in town, all trying to get somewhere and all in each other's way.  I was glad I had gotten my groceries yesterday and only had to do a quick errand at the bank and post office drop box before I headed for my cozy farmhouse.  

The Prairie Kitchen has been smelling wonderfully the past few days.  

Despite having a rumbly tummy on Wednesday, I still made some psuedo-homemade chicken noodle soup.  I like the noodles in Ramen Noodle Soup packages but I dislike the seasoning packet.  It's all salt and MSG.  So I always throw that way and make my own broth using either a good packaged chicken stock or my own homemade stock.  I added some of my dried "green powder" (dried celery, zucchini, aspagragus, chard... the green veggie part you might not want to eat normally, but are not bad/spoiled.  Just not pretty.  But they are fine dried and powered and added to soups and sauces for extra nutrition.) I also added some of my "mixed veggie powder" (tomatoes, carrots, etc.) and a little extra pazzaz from Adobo seasoning (garlic and onion are the dominate flavors there.)  I added some of my home dried thyme and some sage and a big handful of frozen mixed veggies.  I brought all this to a boil and added the noodles that I had crushed slightly to break up the lengths.  It was warming and calming and full of all the good things that veggies and chicken broth have in them.

On Thursday, I told you I stopped at the grocery store and one of items on my list was a variety of apples to make my boss-Richard, an apple pie for his birthday celebration today.  I bought Golden Delicious and Pink Lady apples to combine with the Gala and Granny Smith I had here at home.  Normally I just use whatever is on hand, but since it was a special pie, I wanted to make the filling extra special.  I also added a rounded teaspoon of cinnamon and a small amount (1/4-1/2 tsp?  just dumped) of Cardamom to the scant cup of sugar.  That was the finishing touch.  Not really a distinct flavor, but that extra "hmmm...what is that?" that lightened the flavor of the filling.  Sometimes cinnamon can make an apple pie seem "heavy."  The Cardamom brightened it all nicely. 

And tonight, after a long week, and with it cold and rainy, well it just called for Comfort Food.  Farmer-dear chose Spaghetti with my Homemade Meat Sauce.  I never say "No" to Pasta!  A couple of tablespoons of EVOO, a couple of smaller garden onions, 2 cloves of garlic, all chopped and softened in the oil.  Our good ground beef, browned with the veggies.   I deglazed the pan with a small amount of red wine, not much as Farmer-dear does not like the taste of wine, but just enough to deepen the taste of the sauce.  (By the way, those 4-packs of single glass bottles are perfect for this kind of use.  Screw tops so you aren't uncorking a bottle for just deglazing, especially if you are the only wine drinker and already have a bottle started (Pacific Rim Riesling) & need to finish it before you open another.)  (by the way, again.... I highly recommend the Pacific Rim Riesling, not too sweet, but not dry either.  Not that I'm a wine connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination!  I drink Arbor Mist too as well as some better local wines.  I drink what I like and like to try new varieties.)

I just keep getting side-tracked, don't I?  Blame it on the wine....  

Ok, getting back to the sauce, I deglazed the pan and added 2 16 oz cans of a good tomato sauce (I use Hunts), a generous teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, home grown & dried basil (last year's, I didn't get any to dry this year-- **sob**) and some mediocre store oregano.  I let it all simmer and reduce slightly for 30 mins., while the spaghetti cooked and the garlic toasts browned.  It was a soul-satisfying meal.

(All recipes will be on my recipe site soon.)

I've been taking advantage of some good deals online and some store return policies.  It really does pay to read those.  I had a pair of shoes that I wore for outside work and chores the past 2 years.  They used to be my "better" winter shoes for snow and cold.  Nice heavy, warm shoes.  (Not especially "sexy" shoes, but warmth is more important in the dead of winter than sex appeal.) 

Anyway, the warm shoes developed a rip just under the opening.  I'm not sure how or why, but it wasn't from wearing out... it was like a material flaw.  The store I originally ordered them from (and have another pair I'm wearing now), offers a "no questions asked" return policy.  I have returned another pair of these shoes a few years ago.  And they sent me a new pair... matter of fact, the ones I just returned, may have been that pair!  I do not abuse this policy, but figure if they offer it, I will take advantage of it.  

Another beauty products store has a similar return policy.  I ordered a new perfume, after just loving the sample I tried.  There is a definite difference between the sample and the large bottle.  The full-sized product was just too strong and heavy for me.  I thought I was "stuck" with it, until I read their return policy.  They had no restrictions and I had really only used it twice.  Thankfully I had kept both the product box and the shipping box.  And I had the postage free shipping label.  It was mailed off today.  

In addition to returning things, I've been buying a little too.  I found a good sale at Sears on coats for the grandgirlies for their birthday gifts.  There was a great deal on Groupon   (Groupon dot com) under the city of Phoenix for a $50 gift certificate for $25!  You can bet I jumped on that one!  I can't wait for the after holiday sales.  

I haven't had a chance to really watch the pre-Black Friday sales on BFAds dot com, but hope to do that this weekend.  It's time to get my Christmas shopping Done!

And that's the latest from the Prairie Farmhouse.  I'm off to make some thing warm to drink, look out and see if the rain has turned to snow yet and find my cozy quilt and my book.  I love cocooning during the Dark Months.

Happy Weekend, Puffins!

Hugs,
K~

** "November days and a bright wood fire;
    A hearth and a home and the Heart's Desire."  ~~Esther M. (Clark) Hill

"I love to cook" is live now. Amish Sugar Cookies are there.

My page "I Love to Cook" is 'live' now.  You'll find my recipe for Amish Sugar Cookies there.  This is not the ideal format for recipes, but it'll work for now. 

Happy Baking!
K~

Day 3 of Winter Storm #3-- Getting Restless

Blog Jan 8

Day 3 of the January Blizzard/Snow-In.... The natives are getting restless. Going out into the frigid temperatures doesn’t faze the Farmer anymore. The Farmer’s Wife has even succumb to doing farm bookwork as a diversion from looking out at all the snow, all the same snow... that never melts.

Of course I’m just joking, mostly...

We are still snow-bound. Watching for the snowplow has become one of our new pass-times. We are also passing the time by catching up on projects. Farmer-dear continues to do all the chores alone. The ice on the pond is still 15” thick.

Today he tore out the old lazy susan from under the counter in the kitchen. The same cupboard that the mice use as their “condo.” He had given me a glide-out trash can for Christmas (I know. lol) to go in this cupboard. We’ll see how it works if (when) the mice get in again.

While he’s been busy with chores and tools, I’ve been catching up on the farm bookwork. I’m 90% done with 2009! As I’m filing receipts, I’ve been fine-tuning my files so we can find specific items more easily.

I also did a little sewing on the autumn table runner. It is my first Stash Busting project for 2010. My goal this year is to see how many projects I can complete or make entirely from my stash. I have enough fabric, patterns, books, batting, backing, embellishments, thread, rulers, and sewing machines, that I shouldn’t have to buy anything this year. That doesn’t mean, I won’t want to buy some new fabric. *grin*

I also tried a new whole grain bread recipe today from Cook’s Illustrated. It was not a success. I’m not sure if it’s because I got interrupted several times in the process of mixing up the dough or if my home-milled wheat flour absorbs more liquid than purchased whole wheat flour? The recipe made two loaves but the dough was very dense from the start, and the loaves never really raised well and baked into bricks. I guess the birds will be happy for a few days. I’ll try the recipe again when I get more 7-grain hot cereal.

Another diversion to the snow and cold has been the Wii. This evening I tried Bowling for the first time. I don’t want to brag, but let’s just say, in this household, Women Rule at Wii Bowling!

So I can’t say we’re bored, exactly; but we are getting a little stir-crazy. We are both so very thankful for our warm home, our shelter and refuge, heat, food and all the entertainment we have available. And we’ll be happy to see other real live people and do something besides chores, work, being home. The Big City calls loudly.

But in the mean time, we’ll just continue on. If you don’t see us by June, someone send in the Mounties!

Hugs!
K~

** Most people are about as happy
as they make their minds up to be.
- Abraham Lincoln

Ya'll Come on this cold Sunday

It's a happy day here on the Prairie Farm.
The Blue-eyed Farmer is feeling a lot better than yesterday.

We got the obvious Christmas decorations put away.
I left out the more "wintery" ones for some color and sparkle yet.

And I messed around with these kind of ingredients.

(But not this, because I'm lazy today.)

And went from this.....



to this....

because I have this.

And because it's still like this outside. **sigh**

Which means it's a good day to play with this.

Ya'll can come on over to eat and play too.

Hugs!
Kay~

** "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in,
where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. " ~John Muir

It was only a matter of time

La Vie Parisienne, France, 1938

The blue-eyed Farmer had it, so I knew it was probably only a matter of time and then yesterday around the sanctuary at church, the accompany to the singing and sermon was "sniffle", "cough", "cough", "cough", "sniffle."

There is cement in my head, pain in every joint and my nose constantly drips. I've had 2 naps and think I'm heading back to my bed.


But first, I did want to report about my sour dough starter.
I'm onto Day 2 with trapping the Wild Yeasties. There was bubbling a few hours after the initital mixing. Now, not so much but we'll see what happens with the latest addition of whole wheat flour and apple juice.


Be well all. Remember to wash your hands, use the hand sanitizer and cough into your elbow.
Off to find my bed again...


Waving from afar,
K~

Stalking the Wild Yeasties

Traditional Bread

Ok, maybe I should just say "Sour Dough", although "sour" bread just doesn't do it for me.

I love the internet! I love Bloggers! Today Miss Marielle from Maricucu was featured in the blog "A Year in Bread." Her post was all about her weekly homemade bread made with her home-grown starter. Wild Yeastie starter.

Here is her blog posting on the recipe. (part one)

I'm so intrigued.... wild yeastie starter made of white whole wheat flour and unsweetened pineapple juice?! The technique and recipe for this is here, on BreadTopia . There is a video for you visual people.

Reading through the comments, I saw that someone used fresh apple juice instead of the pineapple juice. I have a juicer! I have Apples!! I'm going to try that version first. I have white whole wheat flour too.

Tomorrow I will start the 5 day process of catching Wild Yeasties. Stay tuned....

Hugs!
Kay~

** "Bread deals with living things, with giving life,
with growth, with the seed, the grain that nurtures.
Its not coincidence that we say bread is the staff of life."
Lionel Poilne

Peaches & Tarte Tartins

I have wonderful, if sneaky, neighbors. One of them left these awesome, Nebraska-grown peaches on my front stoop. But no note, so I don't know who to thank. And I can't recipricate with anything yummy from my kitchen. People around here are like that... they like to gift and act innocent. Random Acts of Kindness sometime run amok out here on the prairie.


Yum... Peaches. One of my favorite summer pleasures. I love stone fruit. Peaches, necterines, plums, apricots. I eagerly await for July & August each year so I can indulge to the fullest on the fresh fruit. I don't get the same pleasure from canned or frozen.

While the best way to eat a juicy peach is to just wash and eat (over the sink), sometimes I like to find a new recipe. Just for the fun of it.

There are only the two of us here now and I'm slowly learning to cook/bake for two. Not 4-8 people....which is what you have to cook for when 3 of the people are growing or grown men.
And since, in our getting older state, we don't need a lot of extra calories, I made just 2 individual desserts from some yummy peaches earlier this month.

(sorry, can't remember which magazine I got this from. Either Gourmet or Bon Apetite)

The Players-- Puff Pastry, peaches, almond flavoring, brown sugar (because I was not going to make caramel on a weeknight... or any other night for that matter. I just wouldn't.) Just imagine the egg and butter here also, please....sheesh~
And please notice my favorite knife. I would grab that second if we had a fire. (not really, but I do love it!)
And those cute, cute, cute tart pans!

See! Cute!

(and sorry about the photo quality below. It was totally operator -error.)



Slice up 2 peaches and place in the cute tart pans. (I sprayed them with cooking spray because those little dimples are a pain to wash!)
Sprinkle with a little almond extract and top with brown sugar.


One sheet of puff pastry, thawed and cut into squares. (again, notice the awesome knife!)

Gently tuck the puff pastry around the peach slices and sugar. Brush with egg wash and bake according to the recipe directions.


After the time spent in the oven, they come out looking browned and crispy and smelling yummy!

And after a short cooling time and a dollop of whipped cream (oh... ok, Whipped Topping), they are savored and ooooooed and ahhhhhhed over by moi.

Silly Blue-eyed Farmer forewent eating his, for some unknown, ridiculous reason and being the wonderful wife I am, I saved it for him and then it got moldy. That won't happen again. Someone, but not necessarily me, will eat my creations!

That was then and now I have a large baking sheet of getting-ripe peaches with whit to plan new adventures.

And soon it will be Nebraska apple time!

Until next time,
Hugs!
Kay~

** “Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it." ~Thomas Walker

Swiss Banana Cake

Swiss Banana Cake

"This old-fashioned banana cake is based on a recipe that was given to Mrs. Bolander many years ago. Brown-sugar sea-foam frosting is perfect for this moist, light-layer cake."

by Mrs. Elizabeth Bolander, Indianapolis, Indiana
(1950- 100 Prize Winning Recipes: From Pillsbury's 2nd Grand National $100,000 Recipe and Baking Contest)

Bake at 350° for 35-40 mins. (check after 20-25 mins)

Sift together:
2 cups flour (they call for Pillsbury of course)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Set dry ingredients aside.

Cream together:
1/2 cup shortening (I used half butter & half shortening)
1 1/2 cups sugar.

Blend in:
2 eggs, one at a time
1 cup mashed banana
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat for one minute.
Measure 1/3 cup butter milk or soured milk (1 tsp. lemon juice and rest milk. Let stand few minutes.).

Add milk, alternately with the dry ingredients; beginning and ending with the dry. Blend thoroughly after each addition.

Blend in:
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans.)

Pour into 2 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
Bake until tests done in center. Cool for a few minutes in pan and then turn out onto cooling rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.

Sea-Foam Frosting (I did not make this.)

Combien 2 egg whites, 3/4 c. firmly-packed brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cream of tarter, 1 Tb water and 1/4 tsp. salt in the top of a double-boiler. Cook over rapidly boiling water, beating with rotary beater or electric mixer until the mixture stands in peaks. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and continue beating until thick enough to spread.



If Pie is more to your liking, you'll like this site: Warm Pie, Happy Home.

No-Knead Bread

(The extras for the Olive-Garlic-Parmesan-Rosemary version. I can't wait to eat this one!)

Happy Sunday Afternoon, Dear Readers!

The sun is shining, the temperature is 32° & the snow is slowly melting, I had a great time at church this morning and did I say the sun is shining?

I'm sorry I missed out on the Chili Cook-off at church today. It smelled wonderful but my poor Farmer is down with Another sinus infection. I really hated to leave but there will be a next time. We both are more than ready for Spring!

The No-Knead Bread has been baked and sampled. The first try was good but I know I can improve. The bottom crust was a tiny bit scorched and it was a bit, too springy of a dough? The second try of the original recipe is fermenting now. And the first try of the Olive-Garlic-Parmesan-Rosemary version is proofing the final time and will be baked this afternoon.

The recipe is from the January 2008 issue of Cook's Illustrated. (http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=11841)
The site will probably ask you to log in, but you can sign up for a 14-day trial. I did subscribe because I go to that site all the time. It is a wealth of information. I have stopped my regular subscription and just get the bound yearly editions.

Farmer-dear really liked it and it makes great toast. Not your normal store-bought bread type of toast but more intense and with more gusto.

I will also be making 2 more loaves of my usual Honey-Wheatberry Bread tomorrow. I cooked up the wheatberries yesterday. I could do it today but I'm heading down to the sewing room in a few minutes. Or I'm going to sit in the sun in my chair and read. One way or another, I'm going to be happy.

Have a great afternoon!
Hugs,
Kay~
**“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.” ~M. F. K. Fisher (1908-1992)


Find the recipe and my photos on My Recipe Blog HERE.

GREAT Dining Out Deal (and Flowers!)

In this era of economic woes and PORKulus spending, we are all looking for ways to conserve and yet no one wants to feel deprived, right?
In my on-going blog reading I found this great deal. (go HERE)

Save 60% on a restaurant.com certificate and get 15% off at FTD.com (The FTD certificate must be used by 3/31/09. I just happen to have someone's bday coming in March, I can use it on.)

I just found a $25 certificate to Skeeter Barnes (regional [?] BBQ place) for $10, applied the coupon code and paid $4 !!! That's right, a $25 gift certificate for $4!! We have 3 different "dates" with 3 different couples coming up in the next few weeks. I plan to look for more restaurants we want to try. Between this and the gift cards we already have, I can see lots of "date nights" for very little money.



So a BIG Thank You to Iva at Horizontal Yo-Yo for linking me to The Bargain Shopper Lady at bargainshopperlady.com which shared Esscie's blog, Coupon by Coupon, where I found this deal.

It just started SNOWING and "they" are predicting 4-8 inches or more for our area. Soon it will look like this out there:


I have to go to the mailbox this morning and then I'm snuggling in for the duration.

I'll be making either Chili or Baked Potato Soup, trying out that No-Knead Bread recipe (finally! It has to ferment for 8-18 hours and I have to figure out how to schedule that into my life.), putting those pineapple pieces in the dryer (Farmer-dear is not eating it fast enough) and finding something sweet & warm to make for my Valentine.



I stopped at the library yesterday and brought home 3 audio books and 3 other regular books to add to my stack. And I have several projects in the sewing room calling to me.

The house is pretty clean, the laundry almost caught up and the dishes too. I will have a snuggly day. I hope you can have one too. Local-Yokels, stay safe!

Hugs!
Kay~

** "Come now the wild dark days of February when the house seems a
lovely warm little island with winter billowing outside."
~Gladys Taber

More holiday preparations - Baking

Susan Branch artwork

First... if anyone knows where my recipe for banana bread is, please tell me! I was all geared up to make a couple of loaves and now it's gone missing. I know I just saw it last week. This is why I should never clean for company. I put things away and instantly lose them.

Anyway....

it's a gloomy, wet, cold, grey day here on the prairie. The perfect day for staying inside with the stereo on, making something yummy & comforting.

The Honey-Wheatberry Bread is doing it's initial sponge while I type this.
This is now our every-day, most perfect bread. Whole grain, honey, not too sweet, just enough substance to let you know you are eating "real" bread. Good crust without being so hard you *Have* to have a spread on it. It makes the best toast.

The recipe makes 2 loaves as written but my KA mixer really prefers we only make one loaf at a time. I usually cook up the as-written wheat berries a day before I plan to make bread. I keep half in the fridge for baking day and freeze half for the next time.

I am back to making bread & doughs by hand & in the KA because my Zoh ABM pan finally froze up and quit working. I refuse to pay over $50 for a pan (plus shipping) and have been watching for one on Ebay and at the thrift stores. They are still very popular but my time will come. And really, making bread with the KA is not that hard. I just can't dump the ingredients in and leave.

Speaking of baking.... the holidays are fast approaching! I went to my first hometown store open house on Saturday at the Hallmark store. With the weather being all wintery, I'm getting in the mood. I'd like a little sunny, golden Autumn for Thanksgiving Day yet too.

I told you last time about my Holiday Control Journal (HCJ) and showed you photos of my recipes. This past week's sale flyer from one of my favorite grocery stores was all about holiday baking!! I wait for this sale every year. All their McCormick seasonings were 50% off. I stocked up for for the next year. And not just baking spices, but their herb and flavorings too.
They also had flour on sale. It wasn't my usual Unbleached Gold Medal but the regular all-purpose. I'll watch for the Unbleached to go on sale too. I prefer it but cookies made with the bleached kind will work. I'll add some of my milled flour to add some nutrients.
Butter was on sale so I got 8 pounds. 2 unsalted for baking and the rest for daily use.
Not really a baking ingredient, but whipped topping, pasta, and shredded cheeses were also on sale. Good sales for comfort meals & holiday dishes.
I saved $46.80 using my store priviledge card!
And have 6¢ off per gallon of gas that is good for 30 days.
So I stocked up on holiday ingredients, saved some major money and have a future savings on gas. That is a great shopping trip!

While I was in the store, I was able to ask the produce workers how to cook Turban Squash. My BFF gave me several & I wasn't sure what to do with them or if they were even edible. The store had a display of Turbans so I asked. I found it is just like cooking a big acorn squash. Guess what I'm having for dinner this week.

Unfortunately in my excitement on finding out that information I forgot to get pecans and walnuts from the bulk bins.
I find they are fresher there than in the pound packages from the shelf.

I also picked up some Watkins vanilla over the weekend and canned pumpkin last week. I've checked the pantry shelves and barring some really unusual ingredients; I think I'm ready to start baking for the holidays.

Here's a photo from last year to show you what I'm looking forward to:

Starting from slightly past 12:00 is Pumpkin Bread, Peanut Butter Star cookies, Chocolate Crinkles, Jam Thumbprints, Scotcharoos, Sugar Cookies, Easy Fudge and Candy Cane Cookies in the middle. I also made Chex Party Mix.
It's the start of the plan for this year.

I'm off to work on that bread and keep hunting for the Banana Bread recipe.

Stay warm everyone!
Hugs,
Kay~

––Susan Branch artwork

Fall Comfort Foods

Brrrr.......... It's definitely Autumn now. We turned the furnace on mid-week and I put an extra quilt on our bed.

With the cooler temps comes the desire for warm comfort food.
Here are two recipes I made this past week. Not only are they comforting, they also use in-season produce.

Autumn Squash Soup with Sauteed Apples

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, very finely chopped
• 3 sprigs thyme, 2 sprig rosemary, leaves removed & minced
• 3 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (I used evaporated milk.)
• 1 teaspoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1. To prepare the soup, in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat until foaming. Add the scallion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the herbs, squash, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat to low, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, to cook the apples, in a skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the diced apple and remaining sprig of thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is tender and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

4. In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Or ladle the soup into a blender and puree until smooth a little at a time. Leave it coarse and chunky if you prefer a more rustic soup or puree until smooth for a more elegant soup. Add the cream, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

5. To serve, ladle into warm bowls and garnish with the sautéed apples.

(Note: I had a bowl 2 days later and I think it was even better.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pear Brownies

• 2 unpeeled Pears, grated (about 2 cups)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tb. butter, melted
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp rum flavoring (or 1 tsp. vanilla total)
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. dark raisins (optional)
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9" baking pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine the grated apples, eggs, sugar, melted butter and vanilla.
In a small bowl, combine the flour and spices. Mix well. Add raisins and nuts. Add flour mixture to apple mixture. Stir until just combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 30-35 mins or until tests done. Cool pan on rack.
Serve warm with ice cream or cool alone w/ dusting of cinnamon sugar.

=================================================================

I hope you all find a way to celebrate the season with something warm and comforting.

Next time I hope to share with you some fun vintage wins from Friday's estate auction. Fun, fun, fun stuff!
And also I want to share the almost-completed table runner I'm quilting.
(I need alot more practice on my free motion machine quilting. OMStars! )


Have a wonderful week everyone!
HUGS!
Kay~
~~"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~Jim Davis

Kolaches

Happy Sunday again Dear Readers!
The weeks just fly by, don't they? Here we are at another Sunday, after a busy week.

---

BAKING

I also made kolaches on Thursday, & was planning to take those to the class too.
This photo is from last July, but the method is the same. Make a Very soft dough, let raise, shape, let raise, fill and let raise a final time, then bake. As you can see I use Solo brand filling. I just wish our local stores carried the red berry varieties. Sieving the seeds out of raspberry pie filling is a pain.

Super Soft Kolaches
2 c. milk
1 c. butter (the real stuff)
1 Tb. shortening (or more butter)
5 egg yolks
1 whole egg (I used 3 whole eggs)
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 pkg dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
Flour (up to 6 cups)
Heat the milk, add butter & shortening and cool to lukewarm.
Beat egg yolks & egg. Add sugar and beat until thick. Add salt.
Dissolve yeast & 1 tsp. sugar in 1/2c. warm water.
Add milk mixture to egg mixture, then add yeast mixture and beat until well combined.
Begin to add flour, 1/2 cup at a time. The dough will be VERY soft, but will come away from the sides of the bowl. Cover bowl and let rise until double, punch down and let rise again (I only let it rise once. I was in a hurry.)
Form dough in to balls about the size of a ping-pong ball. Let rise until almost doubled. Use your two first fingers to make a depression in the center of each dough ball and fill with about 1 tsp of Solo filling. Let rise again. Bake at 425 degrees until light golden brown. Cool on parchment paper.
May lightly ice with powdered sugar glaze. (I don't.)
Makes about 4 dozen.
NOTE on dough-- You will think you made it wrong. The dough is VERY soft, almost like too-thick batter. I flour the counter top when I turn it out of the bowl before I form the balls. It's a bit messy but don't add too much flour to dough or the kolaches will be dry.

Here is a container all ready to share with friends.

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Have a wonderful week, everyone! I'll be back soon.

HUGS!
Kay~

– "A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make a home."
-- Chinese proverb

Easter 2007

(Resent thrift store finds and a Spring Celebration display. Just needs some real Spring flowers, doesn't it?)


Happy Tuesday Readers!

I had the day off from the office on Monday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I  got up with Farmer at 4:30, read part of the Sunday paper, drank a cup of coffee, but was falling asleep in the chair, so gave in and slept until 8:30. 
I got dressed right away (cuz you know if I wouldn't have someone would have shown up at the door and I'd have looked like cat puke again), hair done, breakfast eaten (if you can call a piece of Sunday's dessert & coffee, "breakfast" ), laundry done, kitchen straightened, living room straightened, bathroom spritzed and I installed my Norton Antivirus and scanned my computer. So far, nothing lurking behind the scenes. 


We had a lovely Resurrection Sunday. I had the house cleaned on Friday and spent Saturday afternoon cooking and preparing our meal.


(This odd looking thing is Whole Wheat Challah bread.  Looks funny, but tasted good. )





(The rest of my Saturday baking:  homemade crescent rolls, pumpkin pie & the crust for Cream Puff Dessert.)

I tried my mil's homemade roll recipe using my Kitchen Aid mixer instead of by hand or the bread machine.  Farmer and Nat said they were close, but I obviously used too much flour.  They are a bit dry.  But I'm getting closer.  My  mil and I used to joke about our individual "claims to fame."  I can make pie crust, she couldn't and her rolls were to die for!  Mine never turn out as light and fluffy, no matter what recipe I use.  So this was a nice little pat on the back, that I'm getting better at it.  I also made Porgurgese Sweet Easter Bread, a new recipe, that tastes ok, but again, a little dry.   This time I over-baked it.  Still getting used to the new oven too.




(And what is Ressurection Sunday with out Colored Eggs??  These were done using the old stand-by, food coloring.  The green and blue eggs are light tan, so they ended up darker, but more interesting I think.)


All I had to do on Sunday morning was mix up the Mennonite Fruit Salad, clean the strawberries and make the relish tray & dip.




(And here is our holiday table, ready for guests.)

 We did not have Sunrise Service at our church, but it was heart-filling anyway.

Our pastor used the word "empty" as the basis of his sermon.  He applied it to the empty tomb, Christ "emptying" himself of his God-likeness in order to take our sins, us feeling "empty" without Him and how we need to "empty" our lives of all the  things that weigh us down and keep us from Him and what He has for us. 
Pastor used rocks as examples of those things that weigh us down; filling his pockets with the weight of sins, concerns, etc. At the conclusion of the sermon, he invited us to take a rock and either sign our name on it as a symbol of our having given the weight of our lostness & empty future to the Lord &/or writing on the rock what was weighing us down, what we needed to empty from our lives in Him. We then could lay those rocks at the foot of the cross (the real wooden cross we use in the Easter Performance the church puts on each year for the community).

Now, if you would know my Farmer in "real life" you would know he is not one for public display. He doesn't mind if I worship with raised hands or clap, but he doesn't do those things. So I figured he would not want to go up for this congregational response.  I have been trying to let him be the head of our home in our spiritual life and even though I really felt the need to write something on a rock and give it to the Lord, I was content to let him decide if we would participate.

The aisles were filled as the congregation went forward and we sat and I prayed for that continued contentment and that if God wanted Farmer to do this, to impress it on him. At the almost last moment, Farmer asked me if I wanted to do this? I whispered I would go if he wanted to.
God is good and we did get some of the last rocks and while it was a bit humbling to be among the last ones going up on the platform (and not being able to hide in the crowd), it was freeing to be reminded of Christ's being emptied to take my sins and to be able to lay the burden of loneliness at church at His feet.

 We had several people who don't usually greet us, do so yesterday. Maybe it was my spring-like pink sweater catching their eye or the fact we had to sit in a different spot because of all the visitors. Whatever the reason it was nice to be "seen."
And Pastor made a point of thanking us for the home-grown beef we had given them for the food showering the church family did on their first anniversary of their appointment here. Their family prayed for us and that is always a lovely thing. 

 The rest of the day was filled w/ too much food, the guys napping in the afternoon and me cleaning the kitchen. Ah well.... I enjoy the tidiness more than they do anyway.  



( I think I'm going to end up paying for this one.   Ds2 on the left, Farmer on the right.  And yes it was chilly, so they had to get all snuggled under blankies.)

We did chores and spent the evening quietly, talking with the Ohio bunch late in the evening.

Ds2 came back out on Monday to help with stuff around the farm.  He mowed my front yard.  What a sweetie.    And he helped Rick get our picnic table from his sister's house in town.  All he asked in return was some of the leftover dessert.  

Other than that I just piddled the day away.  Enjoyed my ballerina coverlet ebay treasure (more on that later); made a simple supper of soup, grilled cheese, deviled eggs and fruit salad.

Starting today, we'll be eating healthier again.  No more fattening desserts or potato casseroles or homemade rolls with real butter.   oh my!
 
Hope all my readers had a wonderful holiday too.  Let us remember every day:  He Is Risen!! 

Country Hugs,
Kay on the farm

** "The hidden glory of salvation is that everyone gets a chance to start
over in life. "
~Calvin Miller~